When you’re exploring the dark and magical world of the Forgotten Realms, there’s always someone who needs to be rescued. Here’s how to save Vanra in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3).
How to Begin the Save Vanra Quest in BG3
To begin to save Vanra in BG3, head over to the Basilisk Gate waypoint in the Lower City. Once you’ve arrived, head East and enter the nearby Barracks. It’s worth noting that this quest can only be started in BG3‘s third act, so you may need to plug some time into the game if you want to experience this mission. Within the Barracks, you’ll overhear a woman named Lora, who’s shouting that the guards simply must do something about her daughter Vanra. Turns out, she’s missing, and since Baldur’s Gate’s law enforcement won’t do anything about, she’ll task you with saving the day.
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Lora explains that both she and Vanra were in a bar called The Blushing Mermaid when her daughter was kidnapped. Seems like as good a place as any to look for clues, so head on over. You should be able to identify it on your map: It’s in the central part of the Lower City, just below Bloomridge Park.
Once you’re inside The Blushing Mermaid, head upstairs and move into the room on the right-hand side of the building. You’ll spy someone named Captain Grisly, who sheds some more light on the situation. Turns out, Lora wasn’t all that decent of a mother to young Vanra, and the pirate will offer you a reward of 3000 gold to kill your employer. If you do, you’ll still need to save Vanra in BG3, so the choice doesn’t really impact the rest of the quest. If you’re a cold-blooded killer, the extra cash may be nice to pocket.
An Imposter!
If you thought to yourself, “That’s a bit drastic…” when asked to kill Lora, it turns out your suspicions were correct! Captain Grisly transforms into the hag known as Auntie Ethel, whom you’ll likely remember from earlier in the game. The horrific creature explains that because you thwarted her plans in a previous quest, she was forced to go looking for another victim, resulting in her eating Vanra. Pretty gross, indeed. Eventually, she’ll flee and leave behind a small group of enemies that, given your current level at this point in the game, should be an easy victory. Just avoid any area-of-effect attacks since harming the civilians will bring the guardsmen down on you. Defeat them all and begin the next part of the mission.
NOTE: If you opt to be a ruthless kill and slaughter Lora, Auntie Ethel reveals herself anyway. She rewards you with 6000 gold and agrees to fight on your side during the game’s final climactic battle.
From The Blushing Mermaid, head southeast to Old Garlow’s Place. Break into the building and explore the insides until you come across a group of people who get super defensive when you barge into the room. They believe you to be in cahoots with Auntie Ethel, so either Persuade or Intimidate them into seeing the truth: You’re on the same side. Their spokesperson, Adrielle, explains that they were close to finding a way to kill Ethel permanently, but she thwarted their plans by hexing their leader, Mayrina.
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Head upstairs, and you’ll find that Mayrina is actually a sheep. Use Talk to Animals and chat with her to learn about “The Doll.” The item in question is actually in the same room – you can see it standing behind Mayrina. Have someone cast Remove Curse on the small totem, and in doing so, you’ll be approached by one of her minions, Jatlo. This will prompt a fight with all of Ethel’s followers in the house, so kill them all and approach the now-human Mayrina. Have a chat with her, and she’ll reward you with the Staff of Interruption, a very good weapon.
Anyway, head over to the safe in the back of the house (Mayrina mentioned it before) and loot the contents. You’ll find it on the wall behind Mayrina – it looks almost like a painting. Read the journal you find inside the safe, and you’ll learn a recipe for a concoction known as Hag’s Bane. You’ll also find some Ashes of Dried Fey Flower, a key component to the serum you’re about to brew. Combine the aforementioned ingredient with any Essence, and you’ll have your poison that should be enough to put Ethel in the ground once and for all.
Taking the Fight to Ethel
With the Hag’s Bane in hand, head back to The Blushing Mermaid and move toward the room where you first met Captain Grisly/Auntie Ethel. At the back of this room, there’s a staircase leading to the bar’s basement. Climb down, and you’ll notice a suspicious wall on your right. Turns out, it’s an illusion, and you can pass right through it. Take the ladder down to the lower level and continue running through the tunnels, smashing whatever doors you need to until you enter a massive room where Ethel is waiting to greet you.
She initiates an unavoidable combat, so to successfully save Vanra in BG3, you need to keep an eye on Ethel’s health. Before you kill her, it’s imperative that you toss the Hag’s Bane at her; if you don’t, both Ethel and Vanra will die. The Bane will force the hag to throw up her hopeful apprentice, and combat will continue on as before. Afterward, you can approach Vanra and send her home.
Back in the Lower City, head to Lora’s House, which is directly east of The Blushing Mermaid, and inform her of your victory over Ethel. The relieved mother rewards you with one of the best weapons in the game, the Duelist’s Prerogative, a rapier that grants a guaranteed critical hit when rolling a 19 or higher on attack rolls and deals additional necrotic damage. While this may have been a bit of a lengthy side-quest, I’d say that kind of reward justifies the effort.
And that’s how you save Vanra in BG3.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is available on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.
